Obama comments irk Armenians

[Revmitchell]

President Barack Obama’s delicate dance around a highly sensitive regional issue in Turkey on Monday irked a small but influential American political constituency, which is accusing him of falling “far short” of a campaign promise.

At issue is the recognition as genocide the deaths of 1.5 million Armenians at the hands of the Ottoman government in Turkey beginning in 1915.

Obama has unabashedly encouraged such recognition in the past. But he notably dialed back his rhetoric at a Monday press conference in Ankara with Turkish President Abdullah Gul, for whose government the issue is still quite raw, and later in an address to the Turkish Parliament.

Obama “missed a valuable opportunity to honor his public pledge to recognize the Armenian genocide,” Aram Hamparian, executive director of the Armenian National Committee of America, said in a statement.

More Here

 

[LeBuick]

I never heard of this group but I find this humorous...

The Washington-based advocacy group endorsed Obama and boasts of helping deliver large blocs of votes in swing states and tens of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions. But on Monday, it was encouraging its members to call the White House to urge Obama “to be a man of his word and honor his pledge to recognize the Armenian genocide” as well as to take action to stop the killing in Darfur.

 

[StefanM]

I never heard of this group but I find this humorous...

As a descendant of a refugee from the Armenian genocide, I think it is important to recognize the genocide for what it was. However, I also realize that international relations requires some delicate maneuvering.

 

[LeBuick]

As a descendant of a refugee from the Armenian genocide, I think it is important to recognize the genocide for what it was. However, I also realize that international relations requires some delicate maneuvering.

What are your thoughts on what he said?

 

[targus]

I never heard of this group but I find this humorous...

What is it that you find humorous?

That someone would want Obama to honor a pledge that he made to them?

Or that someone would believe that Obama would honor a pledge that he made to them?

 

[StefanM]

What are your thoughts on what he said?

It doesn't really bother me that he didn't explicitly call for recognition.

 

[LadyEagle]

Mr. Obama, what about the Armenian genocide?

An Armenian-American group that backed Barack Obama in the election is now urging its members to call the White House to protest the president’s failure to recognize the “Armenian genocide.”

As many as 1.5 million Armenians living within the Ottoman Empire perished beginning in 1915 as the Turks fought World War 1. Armenians and most historians regard the deaths as state-sponsored mass killings, or genocide, while Turkey insists the death were the result of a civil war coupled with disease and famine.

During his presidential campaign, Obama pledged to recognize the deaths as genocide. He spoke in a January 2008 statement of his “firmly held conviction that the Armenian genocide is not an allegation, a personal opinion or a point of view, but rather a widely documented fact supported by an overwhelming body of historical evidence.”

The Washington, D.C.-based Armenian National Committee of America endorsed Obama, delivering large blocs of votes in swing states and tens of thousands of dollars in campaign donations, according to Politico.com.
But at a Monday press conference with Turkish President Abdullah Gul and in a later address to the Turkish Parliament, Obama declined to recognize the Armenian deaths as genocide....

http://www.jihadwatch.org/

Guess they found out his talk is cheap.

 

[JustChristian]

http://www.jihadwatch.org/

Guess they found out his talk is cheap.

What about it? Who has done anything about it? Certainly not the last 3 Republican administrations.

 

[JustChristian]

President Barack Obama’s delicate dance around a highly sensitive regional issue in Turkey on Monday irked a small but influential American political constituency, which is accusing him of falling “far short” of a campaign promise.

At issue is the recognition as genocide the deaths of 1.5 million Armenians at the hands of the Ottoman government in Turkey beginning in 1915.

Obama has unabashedly encouraged such recognition in the past. But he notably dialed back his rhetoric at a Monday press conference in Ankara with Turkish President Abdullah Gul, for whose government the issue is still quite raw, and later in an address to the Turkish Parliament.

Obama “missed a valuable opportunity to honor his public pledge to recognize the Armenian genocide,” Aram Hamparian, executive director of the Armenian National Committee of America, said in a statement.

More Here

This happened in 1915. How many American presidents have done nothing about it since then? Certainly not George Bush or Ronald Reagan.

 

[targus]

What about it? Who has done anything about it? Certainly not the last 3 Republican administrations.

Obama pledged to recognize the deaths as genocide.

He had his opportunity but did not take it.

That is the cheap talk.

The last three Republican administrations did not make that pledge to win votes.

Obama did.

Try to keep up.

 

[LadyEagle]

This happened in 1915. How many American presidents have done nothing about it since then? Certainly not George Bush or Ronald Reagan.

You're missing the point, is it on purpose? Obama made a campaign promise to them. He lied. Again.

 

[just-want-peace]

You're missing the point, is it on purpose? Obama made a campaign promise to them. He lied. Again.

Not the "ZERO"!! Surely not!!!raying:

Gettin' so's you can't even trust a crooked politician anymore - what are we coming to??:BangHead:

On a lighter note, got this in an email; no verification as to authenticity, BUT it sure does hit the nail squarely on the head, whether it's really from an English Damsel or no!

A Letter from an English Woman

Now let me get this straight:



You hired a man with virtually no experience, and a mysterious past who might not even be a natural born citizen to be your president ... and who derives all his experience from the seat of all corruption: Chicago.



His first act was to try to give a trillion of your dollars to Wall Street crooks with absolutely no accountability and he is still trying mightily.



The people who already got your money were caught trying to buy a jet plane bought outside your country.



The parties who have received your money and spent it are already legend. We think that within six months the next monies will be partied out and they will be back for more!



His nominee for Secretary of the Treasury is a tax evader. He was confirmed nevertheless. The next three whom he nominated were all tax evaders. Two of them had to withdraw on the same day.



Your President promised that absolutely no lobbyists would be part of his administration. Already three of the biggest lobbyists in the country are on his team.



My question: Who fed you Americans a whopping dose of stupid?



We grieve for the loss of your Constitution, common sense, and morality. I doubt if the Crown would take you back.

Greta Marley
London SW1

​

Her question sums it up pretty well - "Who fed you Americans a whopping dose of stupid?"

 

[LadyEagle]

Sad Armenian genocide pics:

http://www.armenian-genocide.org/photo_wegner.html

About the armenian genocide:

http://www.armenian-genocide.org

 

[Revmitchell]

<edited myself - LE>

To be fair I doubt he was talking about the Genocide but about the words he highlighted in red:

“to be a man of his word and honor his pledge to recognize the Armenian genocide”

 

[LadyEagle]

<edited myself - LE>

To be fair I doubt he was talking about the Genocide but about the words he highlighted in red:

“to be a man of his word and honor his pledge to recognize the Armenian genocide”

I would like to note, also, besides the Armenian genocide in Turkey, Turkey was the place where so-called muslim extremists brutally murdered some Christians either last year or the year before.

For Obama to totally disregard all of the historical facts and to not live up to his word as president is reprehensible.

 

[LeBuick]

<edited myself - LE>

To be fair I doubt he was talking about the Genocide but about the words he highlighted in red:

“to be a man of his word and honor his pledge to recognize the Armenian genocide”

Thanks Rev, like I said LE I was not familiar with this situation. Been reading up on it today and it does seem Obama took the easy road as he tried to build relationships with these countries. The key to winning in Afghanistan will be getting peaceful Muslim's to join our cause. Kind of hard to ask a guy you just called a murderer to join your side...

I'm not making an excuse for Obama but just saying how I see this issue. I don't want to down play something that means so much to others...